Man sentenced for beating dog outside City Hall

SPOKANE — A man who beat a dog outside City Hall last summer will be released next week after spending about four months in Spokane County Jail.

Michael J. Jones, 20, pleaded guilty to first-degree animal cruelty today in Spokane County Superior Court and received credit for time already served behind bars while waiting for the case to get to court.

The felony conviction came nearly six months after surveillance video showed Jones slam a Shih Tzu against Spokane City Hall after smashing out a car window and pulling the dog from the vehicle by its leash.

"I'm sorry that my emotions got out of control," Jones said in court, turning to look at the dog's owner, Tom Tuffin. "I apologize for my behavior."

The June 22 attack on the dog named Cocoa Butter sparked widespread outrage and drew a $5,000 reward offer from a national animal rights group for Jones' arrest. But when Jones tried to turn himself in to police in late August, he was turned away because no formal charges had yet been filed against him despite various groups offering rewards for his capture. Jones was jailed about a week later, after prosecutors received charging recommendations from police and filed the paperwork in court.

The attack on Cocoa Butter, who recovered, came as Jones and his girlfriend were arguing as they walked past the car as the dog barked, the man's defense lawyer, Chris Bugee, told Judge Harold Clarke.

"He took his anger out on the dog, unfortunately," Bugbee said. "It's a simple explanation. It doesn't excuse anything, but it shows you, your honor, what he needs to work on."

Jones was ordered to pay the dog's owners about $1,400 for veterinarian bills and to replace the smashed window.

State law doesn't allow for Jones to be on probation for the animal cruelty conviction, but his uncle and grandmother attended his sentencing and will be helping him when he's released, Bugbee said.

Bugbee said the public reaction to the case was unlike that sparked by most heinous crimes against humans. Clarke agreed.

"Perhaps that's because we view animals as, and they are, as largely defenseless," Clarke said. "I think we all feel this way, and appropriately so."

The maximum penalty for first-degree animal cruelty in Washington is 5 years in prison, but that depends on criminal history.

The sentence recommended by Bugbee and Deputy Prosecutor Rachel Sterret and approved by Clarke was the shortest available for Jones, who does not have a major criminal record but faced up to a year in jail.